McNally Show Horses

🌱 Residents in Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties should remember that fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus is prohibited from June 1 through Sept. 30.

The seasonal ban is designed to reduce nutrient runoff during the rainy season, helping protect waterways like the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River from harmful algae blooms. Experts recommend compost as a lawn and garden alternative during the ban.

Check out the comments for the full story and details. 👇

A horse teaches patience.
A horse teaches responsibility.
A horse teaches confidence.

And none of those lessons require Wi-Fi. 🐴❤️

What's the most valuable lesson horses taught you growing up? Share it below. 👇

The most common mistake in rider development is not moving too slowly. It is moving forward before the current level is genuinely ready to support the next one. It usually happens with the best intentions - an enthusiastic student, a willing horse, an instructor who wants to keep the energy high or a pushy parent. A canter that was introduced before the trot was balanced is a canter built on an unstable base. A jump that came before the flatwork was solid is a jump that is going to reveal that gap every single time something goes slightly wrong. Foundations matter more than most students and some instructors give them credit for. Here is why...

1. Rushing creates problems that take longer to fix than building it right would have taken.

A rider who skips the foundational work does not just plateau earlier, they also develop habits and compensations that become increasingly difficult to unravel the longer they are reinforced. The chair seat that developed because the rider started cantering before their balance was ready. The death grip on the reins that formed because the rider was jumping before they had an independent seat. The horse that became dull, tight, or resistant because it was asked to carry an unbalanced rider through movements it was not yet ready for either. These are not minor inconveniences. They are structural problems built into the riding that require going back to properly address. Remember that it is easier to build a new habit than it is to fix an old one!

2. The horse pays the price when foundations are skipped.

A rider who is not ready for a skill does not just struggle with it themselves but they also communicate that struggle directly to the horse through unclear aids, unbalanced weight, and inconsistent contact. A horse carrying a rider who is not yet ready for the canter does not understand why the balance and communication that worked at the trot has suddenly changed. Over time a horse that is consistently asked to work with a rider above their foundation level becomes confused tense and eventually resistant. Not because the horse has a problem but because nobody set either of them up to succeed.

3. Going back to fix the foundation is not a step backward.

This is the one most students and parents struggle with most. Once a rider has experienced the canter or the jump or the lateral movement going back to walk and trot basics feels like regression. It is not - it is the most direct route forward available. A rider who genuinely masters the fundamentals at each level has something to fall back on when the next level gets hard, a foundation of competence and confidence that holds up under pressure rather than crumbling the moment something goes wrong. Every skill in riding is built on top of something else. Balance before rhythm. Rhythm before contact. Contact before collection. Each layer depends completely on the layer beneath it being solid. Rush the lower layers and every layer above them is unstable. Build them properly and each new skill has something real to stand on.

4. As instructors our job is to create the steps, not just the destination.

The students who get to the exciting milestones and actually stay there are the ones whose instructors built enough small achievable steps between where they started and where they were going that there were no gaps when they arrived. Not just getting them to the canter but also building the balance, the independent seat, the correct leg position, and the feel for the horse's rhythm that makes the canter safe and successful when it comes. Every step forward should feel like a natural extension of the step before it and not a giant leap into something the body and the horse are not yet prepared for.

Good riders are not made by how quickly they reach the milestones, they are made by how solidly they built everything that got them there. Take the time to build the foundation and the milestones will come.

How do you handle the conversation with a student or parent who wants to move faster than the foundation supports?

We’ve been warned about this…

🚨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐥𝐲 𝐄𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔.𝐒. 𝟔𝟎 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐨 𝐈𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 🪰

I am sure if you have been paying attention lately, your feed has been flooded with news about the New World screwworm. So let's take a moment to discuss what it is, why it matters, and where things currently stand.

The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly, native to the Americas, whose larvae infest and consume the flesh of their hosts. Unlike other maggots, screwworms eat healthy, living tissue using sharp mouth hooks that can create extensive tissue damage and result in large pockets of decay.

Animals at risk include any warm-blooded mammal with a wound as small as a thorn prick, which can serve as a site of infestation.

Left untreated, screwworm infestations can cause severe tissue destruction and become fatal within as little as 7 to 14 days. The resulting damage may lead to secondary bacterial infections, sepsis, or vital organ damage, making early detection critical.

🦠 𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝

While the larvae do not spread directly from animal to animal, after about 7 days of feeding, they drop to the ground, burrow into the soil, and pupate. The adult screwworm fly emerges after 7 to 54 days (depending on temperature and humidity) and seeks out a new host.

🌎 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞

New World screwworm thrives in hot and humid climates and prefers temperatures between 77 and 86°F (25–30°C) with 30–70% relative humidity. However, they experience both heat and cold vulnerability that can reduce activity or kill them entirely.

For example, adult fly activity is severely limited below 59°F (15°C) or above 95°F (35°C), and adults do not survive below 20°F (-6.6°C). Additionally, larvae dropping from the host typically die when temperatures fall below 15 to 20°F (-9 to -6°C) and pupal development halts when temperatures exceed 110°F (43°C),

This means year-round populations have historically been restricted to the lower quarter of Texas, southern New Mexico, Arizona, California, and parts of Florida. However, seasonal expansion can occur during spring and summer, with transportation of infected animals representing the greatest risk of introduction into northern regions.

📜 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲

Historically, the screwworm was endemic from the southern United States through South America and created a tremendous economic burden for the livestock industry. As a result, controlling it became a national priority.

In the 1930s and 1940s, USDA scientists Edward Knipling and Raymond Bushland developed the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT).

This process proved successful because female screwworms only mate once. Scientists sterilized male flies using radiation and released them into the wild, effectively collapsing the breeding cycle. The technique was first successfully tested in 1954 on the island of Curaçao, located 40 miles (64 km) off the coast of Venezuela. By steadily increasing the release of sterile flies, complete eradication was achieved in just 7 weeks.

The technique was later used to eradicate New World screwworm from the United States by 1966. The SIT barrier continued progressing south through Mexico and Central America until a Panama-based biological barrier was established at the Darién Gap, and Panama was declared screwworm-free in 2006.

The Darién Gap is significant because it is a dense, mountainous jungle between Colombia and Panama. Not only is the forest vast, but its lack of roads creates a natural geographic barrier that limits the movement of wild host animals and helps contain the parasite.

To support this barrier, the binational Panama – United States Commission breeds and releases approximately 15 to 20 million sterile New World screwworm flies each week over the Darién Gap.

🦌 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟔 𝐅𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐚 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤

However, sporadic reintroductions have occurred and resulted in outbreaks within the United States.

In July 2016, an outbreak occurred in the Florida Keys and affected the endangered Key deer population. Officials successfully used SIT to eradicate the parasite, but the process took approximately 7 months and impacted roughly 15% of the Key deer population before the outbreak was contained.

The geographic origin and method of introduction remain unknown. However, because adult screwworm flies cannot travel long distances across open ocean, investigators concluded the outbreak likely resulted from an accidental human-assisted introduction involving an infected animal.

🚨𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤

While you may just be recently hearing about New World screwworm, the current outbreak actually dates back to 2022. At this time, the New World screwworm breached the biological barrier at the Darién Gap, and cases in Panama surged from approximately 25 annually to more than 6,500.

This increase is believed to be associated with increased animal movement as well as exponential growth in human crossings through the Darién Gap, which increased from approximately 24,000 migrants in 2019 to more than 520,000 in 2023.

Since then, the outbreak has surged north through Central America and Mexico, driven primarily by unregulated cattle movement.

The United States has attempted to reduce the risk of introduction through suspended imports of live animals, implemented periodically since November 2024. Additional measures have included preclearance inspection and treatment protocols, as well as increased funding for screwworm response activities.

Despite these preventative measures, the first cases of New World screwworm were identified in the United States in June 2026.

🏭 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭?

Screwworm control relies heavily on sterile fly production.

To support these efforts, the USDA is opening a sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas. However, the facility is not expected to become operational until November 2027, when it will be capable of producing approximately 100 million sterile flies per week.

The USDA has also invested $21 million to modernize a sterile fly facility in southern Mexico, which is expected to begin operations later this month in June 2026.

✅𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨?

It may feel like a problem far beyond the control of any individual owner, but the reality is that early detection and reporting are our first line of defense. Here are some practical ways you can do your part:

🔹 Preventative care for animals – Treat all wounds and umbilical cords immediately, inspect pens and housing for sharp or potentially harmful objects, and avoid scheduling elective procedures such as dehorning or branding when in or near an infested area.

🔹 Be observant and report suspected cases – Monitor animals daily, carefully inspect wounds, and immediately contact your local State Animal Health Official or USDA APHIS office if you suspect screwworm.

🔹 Travel safely – Inspect pets and livestock traveling internationally or from infested regions, and check vehicles for screwworm flies when leaving an infested area.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧

The New World screwworm is a reminder that disease and parasite control is never truly finished. Decades of scientific innovation and international cooperation successfully pushed this parasite out of the United States, but maintaining that success requires constant vigilance.

While the current situation can feel alarming, it is important to remember that we have defeated screwworm before and we understand how to control it. Early detection, rapid reporting, responsible animal movement, and continued investment in surveillance and sterile fly programs will all play a critical role in limiting its impact.

Whether you own one horse, a small hobby farm, or a large livestock operation, staying informed and paying close attention to wounds may be one of the most important things you can do to help protect your animals and prevent further spread.

Cheers,
Dr. DeBoer

Especially our School masters and Amateur owned horses!

Them: “Your horse is spoiled.”

Me: He is appropriately compensated for the user experience he provides.

And honestly, after spending my days doing massage and fascia therapy on horses, I understand this more than ever.

Think about everything horses do for us.

They carry us.
They teach us.
They compete for us.
They trail ride with us.
They haul across the country.
They tolerate our mistakes.
They adapt to our training programs.
They work through soreness, fatigue, stiffness, weather, and aging.

Many horses spend years compensating for rider asymmetries, old injuries, conformational challenges, poorly fitting equipment, repetitive training patterns, and the normal wear and tear of athletic life.

Then they quietly show up and do their jobs anyway.

One thing bodywork teaches you is that horses don’t always tell us when something is uncomfortable.

They often adapt.

Until they can’t.

Massage and fascia therapy aren’t about spoiling horses.

They’re about supporting the body that supports us.

Helping muscles relax.
Helping movement feel easier.
Helping compensation patterns become less necessary.
Helping circulation, mobility, comfort, and recovery.

Because if a horse spends thousands of hours taking care of us, it seems reasonable that we spend a little time taking care of them.

So yes.

Give your horse bodywork.

Give your horse maintenance.

Give your horse opportunities to move, stretch, and recover.

Pay attention when they seem a little stiff, a little sore, or a little different than usual.

Invest in their comfort the way they invest in us every day.

Not because they’re spoiled.

Because they’ve earned it.

https://koperequine.com/helping-horses-have-a-better-experience-in-their-body/

Happy sky pony!!

With Beezie Madden / John Madden Sales, Inc – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

With Florida Farm Bureau Federation – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉